They have been around the Mardale region (one breeding pair plus offspring)for the last 20/30 years or so, but before then they had been gone for a long time. Trouble is, I cant find out how long. Sometime vaguely round 1800 plus or minus, possibly, but I'm sure the extinction of such a famous bird in England must have been noted at the time reasonably accurately. And I want to know if the story of William Irwin's son taking eagles' eggs is feasible.